Denture retainer



Nov. 28, 1967 A. J. KROL 3,354,547

DENTURE RETAINER Fled F b. 10, 1965 l e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fir/hur J. kro

BY Wax/24M IQTTClP/VEY A. J. KROL Nov. 28, 1967 DENTURE RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1965 R 0 WM wk J U r A QTTORNEY United States Patent 3,354,547 DENTURE RETAINER Arthur J. Krol, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 431,610 8 Claims. (Cl. 32-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Denture retaining device based on the principle of hydraulics and a method of installation of the device are shown. An efi'ective seal between the denture and tissue of the wearers mouth is maintained by use of a fluidfilled silicone rubber tube mounted in the periphery of the denture and adapted to shift fluid from one side of the denture to the other, as the denture moves laterally while in use.

The present invention relates to dentures and more particularly to methods and means for retaining dentures in place in the mouth of the wearer.

A long standing problem in the field of dental prostheses has been the difliculty in retaining the dentures in place. The retention of a complete denture depends not only upon the accuracy of fit, that is, intimate tissue contact, but also on the prevention of air from passing between t-he denture and the tissue base on which it is seated. In function, a denture moves slightly because it rests on compressible tissue. The amount of movement depends on the size and shape of the edentulous ridge, the compressibility of tissue, and the external forces applied. Even a well constructed denture resting on afirm tissue base offers slight movement when in use. During this movement, air may pass over the denture border and in between the denture and tissue. Any increase of air between the denture and tissue neutralizes the atmospheric pressure outside the denture, thereby minimizing retention.

In some areas of the mouth, a peripheral seal is easily maintained, as in the maxillary labial and buccal border areas, with the lips and cheeks draped over the border of the denture. In other areas, such as the posterior border of the maxillary denture, there is no draping effect of soft tissue. Instead, a seal is normally established by a slight compressing of the tissue brought about by beading of this denture border. However, the lack of resiliency in tissue may in many cases prevent an effective seal, and in still other areas of the mouth the delicate mucosa precludes compression by beading and at the same time the mobility of the floor of the mouth during tongue movements often renders an adequate seal impossible.

Various attempts at solving these problems have been made, but to date none has been completely successful. Examples of various types of sealing means and retention methods may be seen in United States Patents 1,493,- 662 and 2,464,987 as well as in Danish Patent 48,419 and Belgian Patent No. 501.,125. One of the problems inherent in the aforementioned patents has been the difliculty in providing a material for denture holding means which will provide long term use and a minimum of discomfort to the wearer while still effectively performing its function of holding the denture in place. Any retaining means must not place any great amount of pressure on the mouth tissues, yet as stated hereinbefore an effective seal must be maintained. It is toward the elimination of the aforementioned prior art problems that the present invention is directed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved denture retaining means. A more specific object is the provision of denture retaining means which are capable of maintaining an eifective seal between denture and tissue without placing undue pressure on the tissue. A further object is the provision of denture retaining means which causes no undue discomfort to the denture wearer.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided by the present invention a denture retaining means based on the principle of hydraulics. A fluid-filled silicone rubber tube is utilized to form a seal around the peripheral areas. Fluid is caused to shift by changes in pressures and an effective seal is maintained. Other objects and many attendant advantages of the present in vention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a maxillary denture incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the denture of FIG. 1 taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing greater detail of the denture retaining means in place on the denture;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a mandibular denture incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the denture shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a denture placed in position for use with no external forces being applied;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the effect of lateral forces on the denture retention means.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts through out the figures thereof, there is shown in FIG. 1 a maxillary denture 11 having positioned around its periphery a fluid-filled silicone rubber tube 13. As may be seen more particularly from FIGS. 2 and 3, a right-angle shaped notch 15 is provided around the denture periphery for the tube 13. At either side of the labial notch 17, the ends of the tube 13 are buried in the denture. This facilitates removal of the denture from the mouth without injury to the retainer, as will become more apparent hereinafter.

In FIGS. -4 and 5, there is shown a mandibular denture again made in accordance with the present invention and again showing the denture 11', with the silicone rubber tube 13' positioned in a notch around the periphery thereof. Again, a section in an area where the denture is normally sealed by the lips of the wearer is left without auxiliary retention means to facilitate removal of the denture.

As may be seen in more detail in FIG. 6, the groove 15 cut in the denture 11 is just slightly smaller than the diameter of the tube 13. In an actual embodiment of the invention, a fluid-filled silicone rubber tube having an outside diameter of .076 inch and a wall thickness of .007 inch was placed in a groove measuring .066 inch. It has been found that the depth and width of the groove should be on an order slightly less than the diameter of the tube which will insure contact of the tissue by the silicone tube and not subject the tissue to undue pressure which would result in soreness. The tube must, of course, protrude from the groove, but in no event should it protrude more than one-fourth its diameter.

The notch or groove 15 may easily be cut by means of a fissure burr which may be guided, for example, by means of a tool such as that described in copending application Ser. No. 431,587 filed concurrently herewith. From the dimensions given above, it will be realized that the depth and width of the groove must be precise for proper operation of the retention system.

At the ends of the groove there is preferably provided a drilled hole, as shown by the broken line 14 in FIG. 5, in the denture for insertion of the ends of the tube 13 which may simply be .tied off by means of a knot. A fluid, preferably a fluorosilicone fluid, is utilized inside the tube 13 as a hydraulic fluid. To prepare the groove 15 for attachment of the tube, an adhesive must be placed within the groove before the tube is applied. Due to the inertness of silicones, a silicone adhesive is preferred. It is to be understood, however, that this invention is not limited thereto. When a silicone adhesive is used on an acrylic denture, it is preferable to paint the groove first with acetone which is followed by a silicone primer. The tube is also preferably washed with acetone to remove new surface impurities. A small amount of adhesive is then squeezed into the groove. One knotted end of the silicone tube is tucked into the hole prepared for it, and the remaining portions of the tube are Worked into the groove around the entire denture, with the other tied end of the tube being cemented in the hole prepared for it and the holes filled. The adhesive is then allowed to fully cure and the denture is ready for use.

As is shown in FIG. 6, when no pressure other than the atmospheric pressure is applied to the denture, the fluid filled tube 13 forms a seal with the mucosa 19, which is slightly compressed thereby. This seal effectively retains the denture in place. If, however, as shown in FIG. 7 a lateral force, illustrated diagrammatically by the arrows 21, is applied to the denture, the portion of 13a of the tube being subjected to the force 21 is compressed causing fluid to be moved to the portion 13b, which is also shifted sideways by the force. The added fluid in the portion 131) causes this portion of the tube to expand and thereby retain a sealing relationship with the mucosa 19.

There has been described an improved denture retaining means and a method for installing the same. This retaining system effectively prevents air from passing between the denture and the tissue base on which it is seated, even in the presence of lateral forces. Any pressure applied by the denture is insuificient to cause soreness in the mouth of the wearer. Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art from a reading of the foregoing. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

That which is claimed is:

1. A denture including a retaining device comprising:

a denture base, a groove cut in the peripheral area of said denture base,

a silicone rubber tube secured in said groove and extending therefrom, and

a silicone fluid within said tube.

2. A denture as defined in claim 1 wherein said tube and said groove extend substantially around the entire periphery of said denture base, except for an area normally sealed by the lips of the wearer, whereby removal of the denture is facilitated.

3. A denture as defined in claim 2 wherein said groove has one wall substantially perpendicular to the surface of the denture base at the edge of the groove.

4. A denture as defined in claim 1 wherein said groove has one wall substantially perpendicular to the surface of the denture base at the edge of said groove.

5. A denture comprising:

a denture base, a groove in the peripheral area of said denture base, and

a fluid-filled organopolysiloxane tube having a predetermined diameter and being affixed in said groove and extending therefrom beyond the surface of the denture a distance less than one-fourth the diameter of said tube.

6. A denture as defined in claim 5 wherein said fluid in said tube is a fluoroorganosiloxane fluid.

7. A method of providing retention means on a denture, said method comprising:

cutting a peripheral groove along the periphery of said denture, and

cementing a fluid-filled silicone rubber tube in said groove with the edges of said groove tangential to the outer surface of said tube and with said tube extending beyond the surface of said denture a distance less than one-fourth the diameter of said tube.

8. A method of providing retention means on a denture, as defined in claim 7 and further including the step of embedding the ends of said tube in said denture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,529,921 3/1925 Rud et al 323 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,320 9/ 1916 Great Britain.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner. 

1. A DENTURE INCLUDING A RETAINING DEVICE COMPRISING: A DENTURE BASE, A GROOVE CUT IN THE PERIPHERAL AREA OF SAID DENTURE BASE, A SILICON RUBBER TUBE SECURED IN SAID GROOVE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM, AND 